Electrical controlling device



Oct. 13, 1925. 1,556,828

- c. w. WYMAN ELECTRICAL CONTROLLING DEVICE Original Filed Kay 16. 1919 I-I l-ll In :1

Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. WYMAN, OI CLAIREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR 'IO SULLIVAN MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION" OF MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRICAL CONTROLLING DEVICE.

Application filed Iay 16, 1919, Serial No. 297,533. Renewed February 18, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES \V. IVYMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Claremont, in the county of Sullivan and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Controlling Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to electrical controlling devices and more especially to a reversing switch.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved? current controlling mechanism. Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved reversing switch which is composed of but few parts which are easily manufactured, easily assembled, and which may be easily disassembled for inspection or repair. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction whereby the parts of a reversing switch and especially the contacts therefor may be readily accessible to permit a refinishing of the surfaces thereof and whereby, when the parts of the switch are assembled, they are automatically held and locked in operative po' sitions. These and other objects and advantages of my improved construction will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing. I have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved current controlling mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a erspective view of the different parts 0 the switch in one order in which they may be assembled.

In this illustrative construction, I have shown a base 1 carrying a. plurality of fixed contacts 2 which coo rate with movable contacts 3 in a well nown manner to re verse a current, the movable contacts being adjusted relative to the fixed contacts by an insulating cover 4 which is operatively connected to the movable contacts and which closes one end of a switch box the sides of which are preferably formed of a substantially circular, insulating member 5 held in operative position on the plate or support 1 as by bolts 6 and cooperating nuts l. These parts of the reversing switch are preferably held in assembled operative positions by a resilient means such as a leaf spring 8 which presses the cover 4 downwardly toward the plate or base 1 and thereby presses the movable contacts against the fixed contacts.

In the preferred form of my invention, the base 1 is formed of marble or other rigid insulating material. and the fixed contacts are securely fastened to this base as by bolts 9 passing therethrough and having downwardly projecting ends to which cables (not necessary to show herein) may be attached to connect the switch in an electric circuit. These fixed contacts 2 preferably project above the base 1 so that when the other parts of the switch box are removed, the upper or operative surface of the fixed contacts may be refinished, as by filing them, without the necessity of removing these contacts, the latter being held against movement during the refinishing operation by the base plate which supports them. The movable contacts 3 are preferably formed as separate elements held in spaced relationship by an insulating rib 10 preferably car ried by the cover at, the removable contacts preferably also having an operative connection with this cover. For this purpose I have shown dowel pins 11 preferably car ried by the contacts 3 and projecting into corresponding recesses 12 formed in the lower side of the cover, it being apparent that when the cover is rotated, as by means of a controlling handle 13, the movable contacts may be made to connect difierent pairs of the fixed contacts and thereby control the direction of a current flow through an electrical system. It will be evident that by the provision of cut away portions in the member 5 small shoulders 5 will be produced which will stop the handle 13 in the proper positions. The guiding and retaining bolts 6 are preferably securely held to the base plate 1 as by means of nuts 1d threaded onto these bolts, suitable recesses 15 being formed in the lower side of the insulating wall 5 to receive these nuts.

The reversing switch may be easily assembled in the order shown in Fig. 3 by placing the movable contacts on the fixed contacts, sliding the substantiall cylindrical insulating member 5 onto te guiding members 6 until this casing is in contact with the base plate and surrounds and insulates the contacts, the cover and contact controlling member 4 being then inserted in the top of the switch box thus formed with the rib extending downwardly between the movable contacts 3. The spoolshaped retaining nuts 7 may then be threaded onto the bolt 6 and the leaf spring 8 placed in operative position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the center thereof in contact with a pin or stud 16 which preferably binds the controlling handle 13 to the cover 4 and receives the thrust of the spring 8. If desired, the ends of this spring 8 may be provided with slots 19, adapted to receive the smaller diameters 17 of the spools 7, the sprin being held against upward movement re ative to the retaining bolts 6 by the upper heads 18 of the nut 7. I preferably form one or both of these slots, as 19, arc-shape, the center of curvature of the sides of this slot 19 being preferably the opposite spool 7 to the one with which this slot spring may be applied by first placi'n 19 is adapted to cooperate. When applying the spring retainer, the end of the leaf spring 8 having the slot 20 whose walls may or may not be are-shaped. is first interlocked with one spool 7 as shown in Fig. 1 and then the leaf spring is swung around this spool as a center until the other end of the spring is in locking position with the other spool 7 with the center of the spring in contact with the stud 16. I also preferably form the inner ends of the slots 19 and 20 slightly enlarged (see Fig. 3) and with beveled surfaces 21 which cooperate with the beveled surfaces 22 of the upper heads of the spool 7 to retain the spring in operative position on the switch box and prevent an accidental removal of the spring, it being apparent that whenthe spring is applied to the switch box this spring holds the elements in their proper positions and automatically looks itself on the box. If desired, both of the slots 19 and 20 may be formed arc-shaped with the centers of curvature of the sides of the slots at the center of the box and the leaf the center of the spring on the stud 16 an then rotating the spring to bring the slots simultaneously into contact with the retaining nuts 7.

7 When assembling the device as stated above. it is common practice to thread nuts, as 7, tightly on the cooperating bolts to hold the members rigidly in their relative posltions and this often results in a sticking of the nut on the bolt and rendering the disassembling of the parts rather diflicult. To overcome this, I preferably provide slots 23 in the heads of the nuts 7 and form the spring 8 of such a size that either end there--' of may be inserted in these sl'ots23 and used as a screwdriver to loosen these nuts.

In the operation of reversing switches it has been found that when a movable contact as 3, passes from one pair of fixed contacts 2 to another pair of fixed contacts, the forward end of the movable contact may catch on one of the pair of fixed contacts to be bridged and prevent the o ra- J tion of the switch. For example, i the parts are assembled as shown in i 3 with the movable contact 3" bridging t e contacts 2 and 2", and the contact 3 moved to bridge the contacts '2', t w point 3 of the contact 3' may catch on aii edge of the contact 2 and stop the move-.1 ment of tile switch. This def}??? is gyeri a come in t e present invention a in the pressure of the spring 8 thro g h th e cover 4 and the inner walls of the reoesses12 to the ends of the dowel pins 11 carried the contacts 3, suflicient clearance 24 provided between the lower face of the cover 4 and the upper face of the contacts 3to f mit a sl ght movement of the movable' obi'i lff tacts 3 about the pivots ltwhich receive the pressure of the spring. These pivoted??- dowel pins are preferably placed. eentragz in each of the movable contacts ,3 ,SO, t f these contacts are balanced about the 11. This balancing of the contacts two functions: first. when' the'contact 3 jii bridging two of the contacts 2 the applied to the movable contact is trwanit ted equally to the ends thereof 9 on the fixed contacts so thatif one flx ed eoji tact, as 2', should be higher than andlhdi'," fixed contact; as 2", the movable will be pressed with equal force against-each} of these fixed contacts, and second, that when one of the movableoontacts, as 3', is being moved onto one of the fixed contacts 2 it may cant as necessa' to make and to slide over the contact.

It is thus seen that I have rovided an iii .6 proved current controlling evice whiclii i composed of'a very few easily manufactured" parts which are easily assembled and mam tomatically locked in operative position; It will further be seen that the elementsbfthd? switch may be easily disassembled for inf spection and that the fixedcontacts are rigid ly held in an elevated positionwhere are,

may easily be refinished wit ing their removal from the'b ise "ate rune the provision of some means such as a for securely holding these contacts'during a refinishing operation. It will 'furthenbe seen that the switch box isyerycom and that the resilient means for 13101 ing the parts in assembled position and for holding" the movable contacts in a balanced position relative to the fixed contacts. is outside the a. Mir-kin: n Q. Ma.

new... Ji s! 1. mm.

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switch box insulating members and is not subject to the electrical current flowing through this switch box or to the heat generated by this current so that the tension of the sprin is not weakened by current flow.

While have in this application specifical- 1y described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it is to be understood that this form is used for illustrative purposes only and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a reversing switch, a support, a pinrality of contacts thereon, a guiding and retaining means carried by said support, an open ended insulating member surrounding said contacts and held in position on said support by said guiding and retaining means, a plurality of movable contacts, and a unitary element closing the open end of said insulating member and freely insertable therethrough for controlling the movement of said movable contacts.

2. In a reversing switch, a support, a plurality of contacts thereon, a guiding and re taining means carried by said support, an open ended insulating member surrounding said contacts and held in position on said support by said guiding and retaining means, a plurality of movable contacts, and unitary means for closing the open end of said insulating member and for controlling the movement of said movable contacts, said means having provision for holding said movable contacts in spaced relation operative per se to prevent substantial movement of said movable contacts relative to said unitary means about axes perpendicular to the latter.

3. In a reversing switch, a support, a plurality of contacts thereon, gui ing and retaining means carried by said support, an open ended insulating member surrounding said contacts and held in position on said support by said guiding and retaining means, a plurality of movable contacts, and means for closing the open end of said insulating member and for controlling the movement of said movable contacts, said means having provision for holding said movable contacts in spaced relation and being removable as a whole through the open end of said open ended insulating member.

4. In a reversing switch, a support, a plurality of contacts thereon, a guiding and retaining means carried by said support, an open ended insulating member surrounding said contacts and held in position on said support by said guiding and retaining means, a plurality of movable contacts, and means controlling the movement of said movable contacts, said means having a projecting rib for holding said movable contacts in spaced relation.

5. In a reversing switch, a support, a plurality of contacts thereon, a guiding and retaining means carried by said support, an open ended insulating member surrounding said contacts and held in position on said support by said guiding and retaining means, a plurality of movable contacts, and means for closing the open end of said insulating member and for controlling the movement of said movable contacts, said means having a projecting rib and a dowel pin connection with said movable contacts for holding them in spaced relation and for operating said contacts.

6. In a reversing switch, asupport, a plurality of contacts thereon, a guiding and retaining means carried by said support, an open ended insulating member surrounding said contacts and held in position on said support. by said guiding and retaining means, a plurality of movable contacts, means for closing the open end of said insulating member and for controlling the movement of said movable contacts, and means detachably secured to said guiding and retaining means for holding said closing means in operative position.

7. In a reversing switch, a support, a plurality of contacts thereon, a guiding and re taining means carried by said support, an open ended insulating member surrounding said contacts and held in position on said support by said guiding and retaining means, a plurality of movable contacts, means for closing the open end of said insulating member and for controlling the movement of said movable contacts, and resilient means detachably secured to said guiding and retaining means for holding said closing means in operative. position.

8. In a reversing switch, stationary and movable contacts, means for insulating and controlling said contacts, and elastic means for detachably retaining said elements in operative relationship, said elements being freely detachable in the absence of said elastic retaining means.

9. A reversing switch comprising a member, a plurality of fixed contacts in raised position thereon, a plurality of movable contacts having projecting dowel pins, and movable contact controlling means comprising a member having recesses adapted to receive said dowel pins loosely to permit angular movements of said movable contacts about intersecting axes, said member also having means for maintaining said movable contacts spaced from each other.

10. A reversing switch comprising fixed contacts, movable contacts, and an inclosure therefor comprising a base to which said fixed contacts are attached, an open ended member surrounding said contacts and closed at one end thereof by said base, and movable contact controlling means closing the other end of saidopenended member and movable through the end thereof away from said base.

11.-A reversing switch comprising fixed contacts, movable contacts, and an inclosure therefor comprising a base to which said fixed contacts are attached, an open ended member surrounding said contacts and closed at one end thereof by said base, movable"contact controlling means closing the other end of said open ended member and removable through the last mentioned end thereof, and means for adjustably retaining said open ended member and said controlling and closing means on said base.

12. In a reversing switch, a. plurality of fixed contacts, a plurality of movable contacts, stationary means supporting and enclosing the fixed contacts, a pivoted carrier for the movable contacts, and elastic means fixed at its ends and in the form of a bowed spring whose ends are fixed relative to said stationary means for imparting a pressure to said pivoted carrier adjacent the axis thereof, said elastic means and said contacts being insulated from each other.

13. In a reversing switch, a supporting member, insulating means supported thereby, means for holding said insulating means on said supporting member, a plurality of relatively movable contacts, resilient means cooperating therewith to press said contaets'into close engagement, and cooperating means carried by said resilient means and said holding means whereby the holding means may be operated by said resilient means. v

14. In a reversing switch, a support, a plurality of contacts thereon, guiding and retaining means carried by said support, an

n ended insulating member surrounding said contacts and held in position on s aidsup port by said guiding and retaining means, a plurality of movable contacts, means for closing the open end of said insulating member'and for carrying said movable contacts, and means extending between said guiding and retaining means and cooperating with said last mentioned means to efiect close engagement of said fixed and movablecon- 1 tacts t1 #1,:- 1 ii 15. In a reversing switch, a su port, a plurality ofcontac'ts thereon, gui ing -lmd u retainin means carried by said support, an open en edinsulati member said contacts and he d in position on sai support by said aiding and retainingmeana and providing a utments arranged atangle'e Q to each other, a pluralit of movable 00m tacts, andmeans contro ing the movement of said movable contacts and l'rmited in it! movements by said abutments, said means having a projecting rib for holding and movable contacts in spaoed*relation.

16. In a reversing switch, a su port, a plurality of contacts thereon, gui ing and retaining means carried by said support, an .1 open ended insulatin member surroundi said contacts and he (1 in position on sei support by said guiding and retain' I means, a p urality of movable contacts, means for closing the o en endjof said in sulating member and or controlling the F? movement of said movable contacts, said means having a projecting rib and a dowel pin connection with said movable contacts j for holding them in spaced relation and for operating said contacts, and said member and second mentioned means being provided with cooperatin means for limiting the movement of said means relative to said 11 member. i I

- 17. In a switch mechanism,a base, contacts carried thereby, a movablW-membr carrying contacts adapted to 'rati therewith, and means for holding' 'sai con tacts in operative relation including a sprin extending across said member and suppo operatively by said base.

18. In a switch mechanism, a base, a. @10 sure member mounted thereon, stationary contacts disposed therein, a movable mem bel' carrying contacts to cooperate with saiaifi other contacts, and means for maintaini;-' T

said contactsin operative relation incrud' a spring extendin across said member an 3 radially support her. fix w In testimony whereof I a -my si ature.

CHARLES by said'enclosure mem 

